Activation: Can I reinstall using XP-SP1 disk instead of original two disks?

P

Philip Herlihy

I have a legally-licensed copy of XP Pro on my laptop, and have applied SP1.
I need to reinstall (same license, same hardware) and I'm going to see if
the backed up WPA.DBL & WPA.BAK files will save me the activation step.

I also have a legally-licensed OEM copy of XP Pro with SP1 integrated (I'm
building a PC for a customer). Can I use the integrated disk as a
convenience to install both machines, provided I use the correct license
keys?

PH, London
=========
 
M

Michael Stevens

Philip said:
I have a legally-licensed copy of XP Pro on my laptop, and have
applied SP1. I need to reinstall (same license, same hardware) and
I'm going to see if the backed up WPA.DBL & WPA.BAK files will save
me the activation step.

I also have a legally-licensed OEM copy of XP Pro with SP1 integrated
(I'm building a PC for a customer). Can I use the integrated disk as
a convenience to install both machines, provided I use the correct
license keys?

PH, London
=========
Click to expand...

As long as they are both OEM, you can use any OEM CD with a proper OEM CD
Key. The media you install from needs only to have a properly licensed key
to satisfy setup when prompted.
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm
 
P

Philip Herlihy

Michael Stevens said:
As long as they are both OEM, you can use any OEM CD with a proper OEM CD
Key. The media you install from needs only to have a properly licensed key
to satisfy setup when prompted.
--
Click to expand...

The laptop isn't OEM. It was originally XP Home OEM but was upgraded using
a (legit) license from an Action Pack. Will that make a difference? (I'm
just trying to save having to install twice, effectively: once for XP and
once for the Service Pack).

PH, London
 
M

Michael Stevens

Philip said:
The laptop isn't OEM. It was originally XP Home OEM but was upgraded
using a (legit) license from an Action Pack. Will that make a
difference? (I'm just trying to save having to install twice,
effectively: once for XP and once for the Service Pack).

PH, London
Click to expand...

I doubt an action pack is a qualified upgrade. Can you give more
information on the action pack?

--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm
 
P

Philip Herlihy

....

Thanks for the reply, by the way! (Must remember to mind my manners...)
 
P

Philip Herlihy

Michael Stevens said:
I doubt an action pack is a qualified upgrade. Can you give more
information on the action pack?
Click to expand...

The Action Pack was supplied by a corporation whom I work for from time to
time when they asked me use XP Pro instead of the Home version that came
(OEM) on my laptop. I understand I'm simply using one of the pool of
licenses which was bought for the team of which I'm a member. I can't now
remember whether the installation was done as an upgrade or a fresh install
(I rather think the latter, now). That Action Pack hasn't been renewed, so
I expect to obtain my own fairly soon - a contact at MS in the UK confirmed
that I'd qualify as a "partner" in my own right now (although I'm not
allowed to publicise myself as an "accredited" partner yet). I'm assured
the license is legitimate - I'm a developer, and the AP was bought for the
team for a specific project. Of course, if I'd ordered my own AP a couple
of weeks ago I'd have the latest media anyway.

PH, London
 
P

Philip Herlihy

There now, I'll be in trouble again. I was roundly chastised in another
group recently for cross-posting without putting in "Follow-up-to". Having
finally figured out how to do that, I find we're generating two threads
instead of the one I'd expected. I won't try that again
....
 
C

Carey Frisch [MVP]

A "clean install" of Windows XP will always require Product Activation.
Saving the WPA.DBL & WPA.BAK files only works when performing
a "repair install".

Windows Product Activation (WPA) on Windows XP
http://aumha.org/win5/a/wpa.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Alex Nichol]

As long as you have two different "OEM Product Keys", then you may
use the same OEM CD to install Windows XP. One cannot use a "retail"
Product Key with an OEM CD and vice versa.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| I have a legally-licensed copy of XP Pro on my laptop, and have applied SP1.
| I need to reinstall (same license, same hardware) and I'm going to see if
| the backed up WPA.DBL & WPA.BAK files will save me the activation step.
|
| I also have a legally-licensed OEM copy of XP Pro with SP1 integrated (I'm
| building a PC for a customer). Can I use the integrated disk as a
| convenience to install both machines, provided I use the correct license
| keys?
|
| PH, London
| =========
 
T

Thorsten Matzner

Philip Herlihy said:
I have a legally-licensed copy of XP Pro on my laptop, and have applied SP1.
I need to reinstall (same license, same hardware) and I'm going to see if
the backed up WPA.DBL & WPA.BAK files will save me the activation step.
Click to expand...

They won't, this has already been tested by many users. This only
worked in some Beta versions of Windows XP.
I also have a legally-licensed OEM copy of XP Pro with SP1 integrated (I'm
building a PC for a customer). Can I use the integrated disk as a
convenience to install both machines, provided I use the correct license
keys?
Click to expand...

This is legal, but it may technically be impossible because some OEM
versions of Windows are hardware-locked and cannot be used on other
computers than the one with which they had been sold.
Also OEM versions often do not support reinstallations but will reset
the system to the original state. This is not very comfortable if you
need to reinstall Windows to repair the installation (all applications
have to be reinstalled afterwards).
 
K

Kamal

The integrated disk can be used as a convenience to install both machines.
As long as the other licenses are also OEM.
 
R

Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers

Hi Philip,

No, nor will backing up those files prevent the need for activation. The
retail Product Key will probably not work on the OEM disk.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
 
B

Bruce Chambers

Greetings --

No. Product Keys are bound to the specific type and language of
CD/license (OEM, Volume, retail, full, or Upgrade) with which they are
purchased. For example, a WinXP Home OEM Product Key won't work for
any retail version of WinXP Home, or for any version of WinXP Pro, and
vice versa. An upgrade's Product Key cannot be used with a full
version CD, and vice versa. An OEM Product Key will not work to
install a retail product. An Italian Product Key will not work with
an English CD. Product Keys and CDs cannot be mixed & matched.

Instead, why not create a new installation CD with SP1
slipstreamed? The instructions at this site are for making a
bootable, slip-streamed Win2K installation CD, but they should work
for WinXP, as well.

Making a bootable Windows 2000 CD
http://www.thetechguide.com/win2kbootcd/



Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
P

Philip Herlihy

Neat! Heard of this but have never seen instructions before. I'll give it
a go.

Thanks to Bruce and everyone who has responded.

PH, London
========
 
P

Philip Nicholls

I have a legally-licensed copy of XP Pro on my laptop, and have applied SP1.
I need to reinstall (same license, same hardware) and I'm going to see if
the backed up WPA.DBL & WPA.BAK files will save me the activation step.

I also have a legally-licensed OEM copy of XP Pro with SP1 integrated (I'm
building a PC for a customer). Can I use the integrated disk as a
convenience to install both machines, provided I use the correct license
keys?

PH, London
=========
Click to expand...

If you have you XP CD AND have downloaded SP1 or SP1a you can make a
CD that combines both. It's called "slipstreaming". The
directions are here:

http://www.windows-help.net/WindowsXP/winxp-sp1-bootcd.html

You'll need a CD burner.
 
B

Bruce Chambers

Greetings --

You're welcome.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
A

Alex Nichol

Philip said:
I have a legally-licensed copy of XP Pro on my laptop, and have applied SP1.
I need to reinstall (same license, same hardware) and I'm going to see if
the backed up WPA.DBL & WPA.BAK files will save me the activation step.
Click to expand...


Won't work. Activation is based on an instance of installation - ie
fresh setup after a format - and the date comes into the matter,. So
the old WPA.dbl is no longer matched to it. But getting on the net and
activating over it, once things are bedded down, is only going to take
20 seconds or so - don't be so bothered about it.
I also have a legally-licensed OEM copy of XP Pro with SP1 integrated (I'm
building a PC for a customer). Can I use the integrated disk as a
convenience to install both machines, provided I use the correct license
keys?
Click to expand...

I think those will work with the same series of keys, so you can use the
SP1 version for both machines - that, avoiding the separate SP1 install
- *will* save considerable hassle, so worth trying - the check is made
at an early stage, so there would be little loss if it is not accepted.
Have the other CD around just in case
 

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